City Directories and History: Porter Blair Kennedy, had this home constructed. He was one of the Kennedy brothers, along with his brother, Christopher Lowry Kennedy (1872-1951), who were partners with W.L. Hill at Hill’s Store. The house was constructed in circa 1909 following the lawsuit between the Hill and Kennedy family.
The two brothers after leaving Hill’s, opened another mercantile business in downtown Sharon, SC called the Kennedy Brothers. Porter Kennedy upon going to Columbia, SC to serve on a jury became sick and returned to Sharon only to die a week later.
Porter Blair Kennedy 25 Dec 1874- 16 Feb 1931 married Bessie McGill. He and his brother, Christopher L. Kennedy became partners of W. L. Hill in a merchandise business in 1889. He was teetotaler and signed a petition in 1902 to persuade the resident of York to reject a request for an alcoholic dispensary. The partnership with Hill was dissolved in 1907, followed by a lawsuit the following year. By 1911 the Kennedy brothers opened a mercantile business with $20,000 in stock. In 1920 he made an unsuccessful bid for the SC House of Representatives appealing to those who favored lowering taxes. Kenned served on the invitational committee for the 1924 Annual York County Singing Convention which was held at his home church, Sharon A.R.P. Nearly one thousand people attended the convention. He was appointed as Sharon Postmaster 24 June 1930.
In 1921 Sharon was in need of a new postmaster but Washington delayed for weeks. Twelve applicants had taken the test but Washington continued their delay. Postmaster William B. Caldwell doubted any appointment would be made until Harding was inaugurated. He was correct. In September Robert Luther Plexico was appointed as acting postmaster and then appointed postmaster in October. He remained in that position until 24 June 1930 when Porter B. Kennedy was appointed. With his appointment the post office was elevated to a third class level and according to the rules it has to be relocated into a separate building The first “international” money order was purchased in July 1938 when Postmaster W.S. Gibson sold one for $76 to “Greek fruitier” Sam Poulos. The money order was sent to Sam’s brother who was living in Greece. It was said that Sam had “chopped off about eight-tenths of his Greek Name when he came to America.”
Porter B. Kennedy was married 22 April 1908. In 2000 his daughter Helen Kennedy said that when her mother and father were married Porter and his brother was still in an active lawsuit with Hill, Porter only had thirty dollars in his pocket and he and his bride moved into the house with his brother and wife until their own was completed. Rev. Ebenezer B. Hunter was in stalled as pastor of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in 1909 and baptized three month old Helen in March, the first baptism in the newly remodeled old sanctuary and the first form the new silver baptismal bowl. In 1920 Porter made an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the S.C. House of Representatives. In 1924 the annual York County Singing was held at the church. Chris Kennedy served on the invitational committee, with early one thousand attended.. 8 July 1872-25 February 1951. [Contribution by J.L. West]
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